The Beta Games
by iceandfire105
Summary: Marcei Teller is thrown into the 'Beta Games', a trial version of the Hunger Games, when she volunteers as tribute in place of her friend. However, even though two victors are allowed, she has to fight either against or along side with Jason, her old flame. Rated T 'cause I'm paranoid. This is my first fanfic, so no flames please. Please review! All rights go to Suzanne Collins.
1. Chapter 1

The Beta Games

Chapter 1

So it was decided.

The Hunger Games was becoming a reality.

I mean, sure, I loved the books, but the idea of really having to suffer from it was just...scary. What if I lost myself, or worse, someone I loved to these "Beta Games"?

It's being called the Beta Games for now, cause that's literally what they are. The trial. Mainly to see if it will be as great as it seems, making school kids fight to the death. Because there aren't any districts, there will be two children reaped from each school instead. Then the procedure is exactly the same as it is in the books. The only difference is that two victors are allowed, even if they are from different schools. Most people would completely lose their head at the prospect of being reaped, but me? I just went home, dug out my copy of the books and started looking for survival tips. Just in case of course.

"Pine… iodine… wild game…" I muttered, feverishly flipping through the pages. Then I started to panic. What if I was reaped? What would happen? Would I die a painful and brutal death to a crazed maniac, or would I win and be scarred for life?

It was too much. I threw down the book I was holding and started to hyperventilate . After a moment of that, I finally got a grip on myself and realised that the chances of actually getting reaped were minimal, and that it definitely wouldn't be me. Not ever. I prayed it would be some poor soul that I didn't know, and their probable death wouldn't affect me. Of course I regretted that afterward.

'Marcei?' My mother, Christina Teller, poked her head through the door.

'Yeah?'

'Bed, please.'

'Okay.'

I climbed under the covers, desperately hoping that tomorrow the "odds" would be in my favour, and keep I, Marcei Teller, out of this mess that has started.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

When morning came, I woke up, fresh and relaxed as anything. Then the realisation of my impending doom hit me, and I felt the blood drain from my face.

When I got to school, I was greeted there by my friends, Eliza, Jasmine, Marliah, Danielle and Grace. Eliza, Jasmine and I have always been super tight, and with Marliah, Danielle and Grace to add to the mix, we're the best bunch ever. Grace could always be defined as the sporty one, participating in things like touch football and basketball. Marliah and I are really similar in personality, and Danielle was my first best friend. We've only fought a couple of times, so its pretty much a world record in the history of being a girl. Man, I would do anything for these guys.

Shortly after the bell rang, we were all shepherded into roped off areas dependant on our gender and age.

Once everyone had gone quite, our principal, Tony Harfold, read a particularly long speech in honor of the very first Beta/Hunger Games. He then strode over to two large glass reaping balls, and (courtesy of Effie Trinket) said, 'ladies first.'

He stuck his hand in and felt around while I was crossing my fingers and praying it wasn't me. He finally grasped a piece of paper and withdrew it. He then read the name. And it wasn't me. On that tiny slip of paper was the name Jasmine Anderson.

I felt all of my breath leave me in one stunned 'oof.' It couldn't be Jasmine. It just couldn't. One of my best friends. As she made her way to the platform, I made up my mind. The second Mr Harfold asked for any volunteers as tribute, I practically screamed to take her place. I sprinted to the base of the platform, ignoring Jasmine's furious head shakings, and said more calmly, 'I volunteer as tribute.'

The crowd was in uproar; no one had obviously expected me of all people to volunteer. My friends were clearly distressed; they were screaming and had to be held back by unsuspecting teachers, while the rest of the school didn't know who I was, and were obviously glad they weren't losing someone they loved. But I didn't care. I was not going to let Jasmine be put through the tortures of the Beta Games.

Not for anything. But I was more worried at the moment about who was going in with me. The moment I took my place on the stage, Mr Harfold called for silence, and reached into the glass ball containing the boys' names. He withdrew a slip of paper. 'Jason McGhan.'

Once again I was robbed of oxygen. Him, of all people. The odds were nearly impossible. Yet, they had defied me once again. He made his way to the stage and I shot him my best death glare. I was furious. After our history, I now had to fight with or against him to the death in the arena. Just great. Right now, I honestly felt like leaving him to die there in the area. But I couldn't be as cold hearted as that. He would die in battle instead. Yes, I liked that idea. But before I could think of the best way for him to die, we were ushered into separate offices. Now, we had an hour to talk to our loved ones. Only an hour. That made things even worse. But I only had to wait in that room for a couple of minutes before my friends came bursting in, the lot of them hysterical. But Jasmine was in the worst state.

'Why?!' she half screamed, as she sobbed into my shoulder. That was enough to make me, too burst into tears.

I didn't reply, I just looked at her sadly

The rest of my friends started hugging me and we all cried together.

After a few minutes of that, they were taken away. I knew that would be the last time I would see them. The thought made me start crying again. Then my parents and my little sister Amelia came in. But this time I didn't cry. It would only make things worse. There was only silence and hugs. But then Mum began to speak; not to say goodbye, but to give me survival tips. I hung onto her every word, because I was determined to come back alive, with or without Jason. 'Don't touch anything that you don't know if it is poison; find or make a knife, not only as a weapon, but as a tool; a bow would also be good; you have a relatively good aim, and if you can't find food naturally, don't be afraid to kill something.'

Then they were taken away.

But I didn't expect Eliza to come back in. She pressed something into my hand. 'You can wear a token in the arena. I got you this necklace when I was in Italy, in Pompeii. Please wear it while you are in there. It would mean the world to me.'

I nodded mutely, and slipped the chain around my neck. The pendant was a blue beaded flower. But then she had to go. I kissed her cheek and watched her leave.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

The train was nice, I could say that much. My room was large with a king sized bed, and a large window at one end. There was also an ensuite attached. I flopped down on the bed and thought. I thought about what I had done this afternoon, and what I was in for. I thought about everyone back home. But most of all, I thought about Jason. I flashed back to the time we spent together. It was brief and bliss, but it all meant nothing. He left me, if that's what you can say about a guy who flattered you over text message. It was obvious he didn't care anymore. But I still did.

I went out to the dining car. Our mentor, a guy by the name of James Macmillian, was already there, in a conversation with Jason. I looked at Jason. He was nothing fancy; an ordinary build (meaning not scrawny, but also not muscular), blond hair, and the same height as me. I was amazing that someone so ordinary could cause so much damage. He looked up, and we met eyes for a second. His expression was impassive, and I had no idea what he was thinking. Throughout the whole meal, I was either eating, shooting Jason killer glares, and trying to get my head wrapped around life in general. When we had finished eating, James cleared his throat. 'Well, as the first two Beta Games competitors from Veronaville College, I would certainly hope that you would have fighting ability, or at least, a basic one. Tomorrow, you will start training with the other tributes, and tomorrow night you will have the uh, what should I call this… parade. So you will meet your stylists, and they will make you look good for it.'

After dinner I excused myself, got up and went to my room. I sat on my bed until I heard a knock on the door. I mumbled for them to come in, and who of all people should come in but Jason. I glared as he closed the door behind him. 'I just wanted to say-' he began, but I cut him off. 'I don't care, I don't want to hear it!'

'Just listen to me would you?!' he yelled. I didn't say anything, so he continued, 'I wanted to say that I'm sorry for everything that I have done to you, and since we are possibly going to die, I wanted to spend some time with you.'

He looked at me for a moment longer, and started to lean in. I quickly excused myself and left, leaving him looking hurt and bewildered. At the door I turned.

'If your idea of spending time with me is jumping right into things and kissing, then that idea is really messed up.'

I felt guilty only for a moment, remembering how much pain he had put me through.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

The next morning we arrived at the place where the pre-events for the games were going to happen. I had no idea what city we were in, but it was huge. Like, New York style huge. The train stopped in front of a massive glass and steel building, several stories high. We went inside, took the elevator to our floor. Everything was modern, and I loved it. The colour scheme changed in every room.

My room was insanely huge, with a wall sized window down one end. Like in the train, there was an ensuite attached. The day was immensely uneventful, just a tour, but I fell asleep instantly that night anyway.

The next morning was spent at the training center. There were stations for learning to use a range of weapons, survival skills, and recognising various edible and poisonous plants. I spent the first few hours learning to tie ropes, bandage wounds and treat water, before getting up and moving to the sword fighting station. I picked up a shortsword, and the feeling came naturally to me. I began to swing, and within a few seconds had butchered the training dummy in front of me. I was also good with throwing knives, probably because of all the time I had spent throwing a pair of pliers around my back yard. Archery, of course, I had done before, and I was able puncture several dummies easily. I continued working through all of the various weapons, doing well in all of them, and even surprising myself with brutal things like the mace. I turned around to find a shocked silence, and everyone staring at me. I flushed and stared at my feet. Then Jason began to clap, grinning broadly, and the rest followed in suit, which I found quite strange, considering I would be facing them in the arena. Then I realised when they were going. Overconfidence. They wanted to throw me off my guard in the Games and finish me off then. Well, I wasn't going to let them do that. I was going to win. And nothing was going to get in my way.

My stylist (I didn't catch his name) really did make me into something special for the parade. My strapless black dress fell to the floor in shimmering satin folds, and using waterproof pen, had made a flowery pattern running up the whole of my left arm and crossing over my back to my right shoulder. He had used silver ink to highlight certain parts of the design, and in my opinion, it looked awesome. My hair was sprayed with sparkles and piled up on my head in an elegant bun, and there were two curls framing my face. The makeup was done in a way that it highlighted the better parts of my face, while covering the freckles and other blemishes. And honestly, if this whole parade wasn't celebrating my imminent death, I would have felt great to be here.

Out in the hallway, I met up with Jason. He was wearing a black suit and boots so shiny that they almost blinded me. And my thoughts? He was absolutely perfect. There. I said it. So perfect that I wanted to kiss him, and made me regret not doing so earlier.

He did a double take when he saw me. Then his mouth dropped open. I reached out and closed it, and he blushed.

'C'mon, lets go,' I finally said, and headed off down the hallway.

Our chariot was one that was as elegant as my tattoo; a metal frame spayed black and silver, and it was pulled by two black horses with silver manes. As I ran over to stroke their necks, I heard a rumble of a boy from another school behind me.

'Is she taken?', he asked Jason, pointing to me. Jason's expression turned guarded.

'Yeah,' he said defensively. My jaw dropped. He continued, 'Jealous type. Big bloke. You wouldn't want to cross him.'

The boy grunted and moved away. I went over to Jason.

'What was that about?' I asked indignantly. Jason lowered his gaze and mumbled something inaudible.

'Excuse me?'

He continued to mumble.

'God.' I threw my hands up in frustration and climbed into the chariot. I turned to him.

'Well, if this parade is going to happen sometime within the next hundred years, come on.'

'We won't have to go into the Games if this goes for a hundred years,' he said, grinning at me. I laughed.

'Come on,' I said, holding out my hand. He took it and climbed in, but he didn't drop hands. I raised my eyebrows. He grinned again, and suddenly I was irritated.

My mood must have shown on my face, because he laughed, and dropped my hand.

Then the horses started to move, and I clung onto the front. Jason grabbed my hand again to stabilize, but this time I didn't object. I really didn't feel like faceplanting any time soon, before getting run over by a heavy chariot.

Upon seeing us, the crowd started screaming, and the cameras were focused on us. I really didn't get what was going on. After a few rounds, and when the ride was about to end, I finally looked at exactly what the camera was focusing on. Our faces and...our hands. The second the chariot stopped, I dropped the gesture and bolted for it, ignoring Jason yelling my name behind me.

I was lying sprawled out on my bed when he found me. He pushed open the door and poked his head in, almost as if he expected me to start attacking him. Once he had decided that I was not going to do so, he edged his way into the room.

'What do you want?' I mumbled, a hand over my eyes.

'I just wanted to know if you were okay.'

'For God's sake, of course I'm not okay!'

'Look, I know this isn't the best for us-'

'Why on Earth would you think that?'

'-but I really think we should fix things up after….what happened.'

We? He honestly had the guts to think that we had to fix things up? The entire reason for us not being together is because of him. He was the one who started ignoring me. He was the one who left me!

'We?' I snarled, standing up.

'Uh, well-'

I stormed into my ensuite and started running a bath. When the water was almost about to flow over the edge I hopped in. I heard the opening of a door and pulled my head underwater. Not the most effective suicide method, but it would have to do. I heard the ensuite door open, and someone came in and pulled me out. It was the servant, who basically cleaned my room after I went around in one of my rages. She toweled me off, and wrapped me in a dressing gown, while practically dragging me to my bed at the same time. All I know from then on is that I passed out instantly, my hate for life becoming too much.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

I spent the next morning in the gym, either lifting weights, or running on the treadmill. I had the treadmill on the "high" setting, and was sprinting so fast, that I didn't dare to change the position I was running in.

'Hey.'

I shrieked, and slid straight off the treadmill, and slammed into the wall behind me.

'Oh damn. Here.'

I looked up to find Jason holding his hand out to me. I took it and stood up, but let go quickly. He raised his eyebrows at this, but said nothing.

When my heart beat had finally slowed, I strode over and switched off the treadmill, and turned around to glare at him.

'Okay, do NOT do that! Seriously, I probably damaged my face doing that!'

'Still looking great to me,' he said grinning. I flushed, before punching him in the gut. He only continued to grin. I huffed in exasperation and hopped on the treadmill again.

'So, what did you want?' I asked.

'I only came over here to bother you of course,' he replied, smirking.

'Okay, so I just almost lost my face to carpet burn for nothing?' I grumbled.

'Pretty much.'

'Far out, how thick are you?'

'Very.'

'I can tell.'

He laughed at this, before finally leaving me alone, and going to lift weights. I watched him while he did this. He was surprisingly strong, I noted. Not that it mattered. He also looked really good while doing it too. That didn't matter either. I started grumbling to myself. My head was really messed up at the moment - I didn't know how or what I felt at the moment, and it was driving me crazy. So I got up, and went back to the training center to throw some knives.

Tonight was supposed to be the interviewing, which would be broadcasted world wide. And me? I was super nervous. I wasn't much of a public speaker, and I was supposed to tell everyone about myself.

Hmm.

I was still contemplating how this was going to turn out. Knowing me, probably really bad.

The afternoon passed really quickly, and before I knew it, I was getting pulled in front of a mirror by my stylist, and my hair being twisted and weaved into something that was going to look spectacular.

By the time he was finished, I was wearing a purple lacy dress with folds of rippling material running down one side. The top was held up by spaghetti straps and around my neck was a delicate silver necklace inlaid with diamonds. I wore sparkling silver heels, and my hair was in a complex looking braid down one side, with silver ribbons weaved in. Glimmering bangles clinked on my wrists, and my earrings were silver with amethysts that dangled from my earlobes. The thought that I looked this good calmed me down a little.

I strode out to the wings of the main theatre, where I waited for the announcements of the tributes. I heard footsteps behind me, and I turned to find Jason, who put his hand on my shoulder. I shrugged it off, and he feigned a look of hurt. This made me grin.

'Don't deny the inevitable Marcei,' he said. 'We do make the perfect couple.

I snorted. 'In your dreams.'

Jason started to say something, but was interrupted by the speaker, announcing tonight's host, Mr Someone-or-other. Really, the name was weird and I didn't catch it.

'Who?' I asked, looking at Jason.

'Uh,' he concentrated for a moment. 'Mr Carlos Pandarofvski.'

'Let's just stick with Carlos, shall we?'

'Agreed.'

I guess we should have been listening, because I saw James behind Jason, gesturing furiously to go on stage. I punched Jason in the arm, and we strode out with the other tributes. Strangely enough, there were only twelve schools in our whole town, thus making twenty four tributes. I found that rather funny.

We took our places in a row of seats, on a raised platform, where Carlos sat below us, in one of two armchairs. He talked and joked with the audience for a few moments, before calling up the first tribute, a blonde girl from a school nearby. The interviews passed in a blur, and a few tributes stood out to me; the blonde girl, a brown haired boy who I had seen run at training; he was fast, a clever looking, dark haired girl; a definite threat, and a brutish boy who could handle firearms better than anyone I have seen.

I knew that my interview would be somewhere around the middle, so I kept my ears open for any mention of my name. It came about five minutes later, when I was introduced. I made my way to the armchair, and took a seat.

'Well,' Carlos said. 'If it isn't our sparkling weapon handler.'

I grinned at this. Being a threat made me feel like I had power. Carlos continued, 'the audience has been dying to know more about you. Isn't that right folks?' he asked, turning to the crowd, who cheered in response.

'So let's start from the beginning; the reaping. What made you volunteer as tribute in Jasmine's place?' he asked.

I froze, considering how to answer this question. I didn't want my opponents to know too much about me, as they could use that information to kill me.

'Well,' I said. 'She is one of my closest friends, and one of the best ones you could ever get.'

'Always good to see friendship in our communities. So what about the parade? You looked absolutely stunning. I do believe you are already an audience favorite, are you not?' he asked, once again, turning to a cheering audience.

'Well,' I said, 'my stylist is one of the most talented people I have ever met.'

Now, the camera was directed away from me, towards the stylist in question, who stood up to a smattering applause.

'And what about your life at home? Is there anyone special waiting for you to return?'

Now I was stuck. Really stuck.

'No.' I said slowly.

'Oh really?' Carlos asked. 'Well we don't believe that, do we folks?'

The audience roared in response.

'So, no boy?' he asked again.

I sighed. 'No,' I said, emphasising the word.

The buzzer sounded, and I was finally able to escape any further interrogation. I sat back in my original seat, feeling so worn out that I hardly heard the conversation Carlos was having with Jason. I did hear my name a couple of times though, so I was slightly worried.

When it was all over, I staggered off stage. Jason caught up with me.

'You're not mad?' he asked tentatively.

'Why should I be?'

'Well, Katniss went completely ballistic when Peeta did a similar thing.'

'What did you do? I wasn't listening.'

'I kinda told everyone that you are an awesome person and stuff like that.'

Right now, I was too tired to register this or even care, so I just went back to my room and crashed on my bed, completely drained.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

When I woke up the next morning, the horrible truth hit me. One more day of training. Tomorrow was the games.

'Oh God.'

That's why I had to make the most of today. It could mean the difference between dying and surviving.

I sprang out of bed, and pulled a set of clothes out of the drawer. Only once I had made it out to the dining room, where a full buffet was set up, did I see that it was 5:30am. Under normal circumstances, I would never be up this early. Ever.

After a hurried breakfast, I went back to my room and got the piece of rope I had been practicing knots on. I twisted and looped for a few moments and within seconds I had a perfect trap that could ensnare the victim.

At ten, I went back to the training center, and went through using all of the weapons again, before finishing off with the edible plants and survival skills.

Satisfied with my work, I went to lunch, where I met up with Jason.

'Are you ready? For tomorrow?' he asked.

Honestly, I wasn't sure. My skills were okay, but I still wasn't sure how I was going to survive the bloodbath at the cornucopia. I wanted a knife at least. I could survive with a knife.

'I think so. What about you?'

'I think I might have a chance,' he said.

That night, James gave us a last minute lecture, full of survival tips and fighting strategies. By the time he had finished, I had absorbed so much, that when I went to bed, I crashed and simply lay there, unable to sleep.

I heard my door opening, and Jason came in.

'Can you sleep?' he asked.

'What does it look like?' I asked, glaring at him.

'Yeah, that was a stupid question.'

'What do you want?'

'Nothing in particular.'

'Really.'

'Yep.'

'Hmph.'

Jason sat down next to me.

'We are going to be alright, you know. I think we are going to win. And we will go back home, and be able to see everyone again. Life will be the way it was before.'

I sat up. 'No, it won't be the way it was before. If we even do survive, we will be emotionally, and possibly physically scarred for the rest of our lives. Is that how you want to live?'

'I never said that. But yes, we won't be exactly the same.'

'Okay, can I please sleep now? I'd best get all the rest I can. You could do the same.'

'Okay.'

But as he left, I felt a slight twinge of regret. If I was going to spend the last bit of my life with someone, it would have been nice to have spent it with him.

A wave of tiredness swept over me. Without another thought, I flopped backwards and fell asleep.

When I opened my eyes, I felt worse than I did on the day of the reaping. Meaning absolutely terrible. I dragged my feet out of bed, and stood up, yawning and stretching. My eyes travelled around the room until they laid on the clothes that had been picked out for me. I pulled them on. My top was a light grey, long sleeved shirt, and extremely comfortable. I also wore dark pants that were made from a really tough material. I didn't think it was going to rip any time soon. I also had a light jacket, that was also made from the tough material. Both my pants and jacket reflected body heat. On my feet I had sturdy leather boots, with thick soles. I had a feeling there might be a mountain in the arena. I put my hair up into a rough ponytail, and went out to the dining room. Jason was there, and he was dressed the same as me. He had shadows under his eyes.

I made myself some toast, and sat eating, waiting for the loudspeaker to tell us where to go. Then, after a few minutes, it spoke giving us directions to the launch bay. We both got up, and when we arrived there, Jason turned.

'Well. This is it.'

'It seems so.'

'May the odds be ever in your favour.'

I grinned. 'The same to you.'

Jason clapped me on the shoulder, smiled reassuringly, and went into the room with his launch pod. I went into mine, where I was greeted by my stylist, Charlie (I finally got his name!).

He smiled. 'I believe you can win. You've got the guts girl. And the attitude. You just need the determination to live.'

'Thanks, Charlie.'

The voice from the loudspeaker rumbled, 'Thirty seconds until launch.'

'You'd better get in your pod.'

Heart pumping, I nodded. I turned and stepped into it. It was a glass container, so I could still see Charlie on the other side. He waved. I waved back.

'Ten seconds until launch.'

I bit my lip.

'Five...four...three...two...one.'

The pod began to move upwards, ejecting me into the arena.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

I was right about the mountain.

I stood there for a moment, blinking in the sudden brightness before my eyes adjusted. The cornucopia was on a high plateau, with deep, rocky slopes running down every side. To the south there was a massive forest, spreading to the edge of the arena, and directly north, there was desert. To the west, a massive lake spread out, with various rivers and streams running from it. East, there was just an expansion of grassland.

I heard the announcement, 'Let the first annual Hunger Games begin!', and bolted straight for the cornucopia. I saw a clump of backpacks and headed towards them. I heard the whistle of an object flying through the air, and ducked in time to see a knife wedge itself into the grass next to me. I grabbed it, and the nearest backpack, and ran. Straight for the forest.

I stumbled and tripped down the slope, rolling over a few times. I looked behind me. There was no one following me. I ran for another hour before I reached the forest, then I ran for another few until I was really deep; so deep, that I would have time to hide really far up a tree.

I looked at the trees around me. It was a mixture of Australian bushland and pine trees. Pine. I grinned, remembering something from the Hunger Games books. I pulled out my knife, and scraped away the outer bark, before scooping out the tree underneath. I stuffed a bit more into my bag, and put a chunk in my mouth, chewing. It wasn't the best tasting thing, but it would have to do. I found a grip on the tree and hauled myself up, and climbed until it started to get dark. That's how high the tree was. Never looking down, I sat comfortably on a thick branch, and looked at the contents in my backpack. I found a large coil of rope, a three litre bottle of water, a packet of dried fruit, another packet with dried salt meat, a small metal pot and a thick dagger with a strange looking button on the side. Frowning, I held it away from me and pressed it. A full length sword sprung out, and I shrieked, almost dropping it. I pressed the button again and it shrunk back into a dagger. I grinned. This would be useful. I could appear to be unarmed, with only a dagger, but any potential attacker wouldn't know about the sword function. I stuffed everything back in my bag, but used the rope to tie myself to the tree. Then I waited. For the cannon.

After half an hour it came. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang. Bang.

Fourteen. Fourteen dead in one day. Well, it had to be expected. That bloodbath went on for hours. I just hoped Jason wasn't one of them.

When darkness had fully set in, the projections of the fallen tributes played. No one I recognised was up there.

The next morning I went searching for water. I had seen plenty of rivers running from the lake, so there had to be a source somewhere nearby.

Above me, I heard a rustle. I looked up, and saw a bird. It flew up into a nest, not too far above the ground. When it flew away, I heaved myself up the tree, and found three eggs in the nest. Perhaps I could find a way to cook them. I put them in the pot, and, because of the heat, used my jacket to cushion them. While doing so, I perked up. I could hear the running of water. I headed for it. Just as I was about to leave the cover of the forest, I saw someone at the river. It was a red headed girl. I jumped as a twig beneath my foot cracked. The girl stood up quickly, and turned around, to see me. Her eyes widened in alarm. I just looked at her. But she didn't relax, so I slowly walked out to her. I knew this was safe, because she was more of the underdog than I was. Suddenly, she screamed. An arrow had caught her from behind, and a boy came sprinting towards us. Instantly, I pulled out my knife and flung it. It caught him in the middle of his chest, and he dropped. The cannon sounded. I turned back to the girl. She was breathing heavily, and had pulled the arrow from her back. But I could tell she was dying. There was no saving her. I ran over and caught her as she fell. Gently, I lowered her to the ground.

I watched her for a moment, before asking for her name.

Coughing, the girl gasped, 'Elaine.'

'I'm so sorry, Elaine.'

'No- not your...fault…'

She looked at me for a moment longer, then said, 'everyone else thought you were...brutal. Heartless. That you would kill everyone on sight. But… that's not… true….'

She faded off, before gasping a final time. She was gone. Bang.

I stood up, and from the trees, came a safari style truck. Men in uniforms got out, picked up Elaine and the boy, and drove away.

I turned back to the stream, and refilled my water bottle. I had a heavy feeling hanging over me. I had just killed someone. I bit my lip, before turning and walking downstream. As I had found no way to cook my eggs, I ate them raw, shuddering at the taste. I looked back to where Elaine had died. The scenery appeared so peaceful, it was hard to believe that two people had died there. The thought did not leave me any happier.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I threw up once, because raw eggs and unpurified water do not mix. They cannon was fired only one more time.

Seventeen dead already. I had a feeling that this Hunger Games wasn't going to last very long. After all, there was only seven of us left. I made a list: me, Jason, the blonde, the brown haired boy and girl, the gun boy, and someone else.

I nibbled some dried fruit and pine and continued downstream until it got dark. Then I hauled myself up another tree, and secured myself. I didn't know what I was going to do. I either had to find Jason, and we would be allies, or I would have to hope that he pulls through, and we become the final two. I decided that I would try to find him, and maybe take out a few people along the way. With those thoughts, I dropped off into an uneasy sleep.

The next two days passed without any deaths. I had a feeling that the audience was getting irritated; nothing was happening. I was walking along the grassland, because the grass and plant growth was so tall, and I wouldn't be seen.

I stopped when I heard a popping sound. The heat was so extreme, that I wasn't all that surprised by it. I continued for a few steps, looking around ground level, when I smacked into something. It was a heavy, light green flower of sorts. I took a closer look at it, and laughed. No wonder there was popping! I was in a cornfield.

I stuffed my bag with a few cobs, and continued to wander.

Bang. I jumped. Someone else was dead.

I sprinted out of the cornfield, back into the forest, and shot up a tree, watching the ground.

After about three hours, I heard movement. Running.

I shrunk against the tree trunk, and continued to watch the ground.

Jason ran towards the area where I was, and stopped, puffing, directly under my tree.

Snap. The zipper on my bag had broken, and I struggled to keep the contents in. But my pot dropped out.

Clang.

Jason collapsed; the pot had caught him right on the head. The situation was so comical, I wanted to laugh. I slid down the tree, jumped to the ground, and examined his head. Nothing serious, but he was going to have a bump for a while. I shoved the pot back in my bag, and wondered if it was worth trying to get him up the tree. I figured that the odds were 200:1, at least. I remembered a cave that I had passed earlier, that was a mixture a rocks and bush. I could keep him in there, until he woke up. Puffing, I dragged him into the cave, and checked him over for injuries. There was a gash on his shoulder, but otherwise nothing else. I washed it, and wrapped it up with a strip of cloth. But I couldn't help smiling. He was alive.


	8. Chapter 8

**I'm sorry that this story is going to be so short, but I'm running out of ideas. Please let me know if you have any. :)**

Chapter 8

There was an announcement for a feast. That surprised me. I hadn't considered the feast. I had decided to go, because, knowing me, I had probably forgotten about something really important. Something vital. Just when I was about to leave, I took some of the food out of my backpack, and left it on the floor for him, in case he woke up. Then I crept out of the cave, back to the cliff, where the cornucopia was. Laid out on the table, was lots of food, and some medical kits. The food was practically useless, considering I had a feast of my own back at the cave. But the medical stuff could be worthwhile. I laid low, planning how to creep in without getting attacked. In the end, I decided on a grab and go strategy.

I sprinted out to the table, grabbed the medical kit and turned to leave, before I was bowled over by something with a matted tangle of blonde hair.

This is cliché, I thought grimly. Just like in the books.

I flipped over, and tried to wriggle out of the girl's grasp, with little success.

If she was really lacking originality, she was going to cut me open. Clove style.

Sadly, that seemed to be where she was going. Curse my bad karma.

Her face bore various cuts and scratches, and her clothes were torn and bloody. She smirked, seemingly pleased with her prey.

'I'll get straight to the point,' she said. 'I totally approve of Clove's idea of a "show."'

'Oh no, you don't.' I wriggled again, and she placed a foot on my chest, the sudden weight making me gasp.

'Sadly, there isn't much I can do with your face,' she continued. 'I'm an artist, and I need a bigger, uh… canvas.'

Swiftly, she flipped me over, and pinned me again. 'Your back should do.'

I grimaced, waiting for someone to save me, pointlessly hoping for someone who would never come. I would be dead before they did, anyway.

The girl didn't dawdle. Before I knew it, her knife was puncturing my flesh, drawing patterns. I closed my eyes tightly, not making a sound, despite the pain. I was waiting. Hoping that death would come quickly, and spare me from such a humiliating end. She laid her knife on the grass next to me, pondering what to draw next, and instantly, I swung my foot upwards, the stiff sole of my boot making contact with her head. She squeaked in surprise, and her grip on me loosened. Taking advantage of this, I jumped up, pulled out my dagger, and activated the sword function. In her attempt to run away, the girl stumbled and tripped backwards, falling on her back, in the grass. I brought my sword level with her chest, the tip touching her shirt.

She gulped, looking positively terrified. 'No. Please.'

I glared.

'I'll be helpful. I'm good at hunting wild animals, I'll-'

She froze as I put more pressure on my sword.

'Actually, I'll leave you alone. I'll stay away, and we'll go to the final two together.'

She stopped, looking behind me. A grin began to unfurl on her face.

'Never mind.'

A knife flew past my ear.

I spun around. The brown haired boy was there. The one who could run fast. I kicked the girl in the chest, winding her, before sprinting after the boy. I didn't need to though, because he ran back towards the girl, pulling out a shortsword while he did so. I swung my sword at him, which he parried with his own. The girl stood up, and he pulled out a second sword, and threw it to her. Now I was outnumbered. This was bad.

I parried their blows, hoping for an inspirational streak of brilliance about getting out of this mess. Suddenly Jason was beside me. My head was fuzzy, so I wasn't too surprised.

I gave a cry and deftly swung my sword around.

Thump. The blonde girl's head was sitting on the grass. I shrieked, and stumbled backwards, hyperventilating. This was worse than killing someone. I had actually beheaded her. I screamed, clutching my head. Somewhere in the distance, I could hear swords clashing. Then there was silence. I screamed again, tripping backwards into the grass. I felt woozy from my loss of blood. I saw a fuzzy image of Jason next to me. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear him. There was a roaring in my ears. Then everything went black.

When I woke up, I was back in the cave, with a layer of bandages around my chest. I sat up, rubbing my eyes, and instantly, Jason was beside me, looking anxious.

'Are you alright? Can you hear me-'

'Dude, I'm fine.'

He relaxed. 'Good. I thought you were going to die.'

'What would I die from?'

'Loss of blood, some sort of hysterics syndrome that no one knows about-'

'Okay. I get it.'

He put his hand on my forehead, which I slapped away.

'Hey!'

'Don't.'

He sighed. 'Fine. But if you're feeling that good, you'll let me put some stuff on your back.'

'Since when did we have stuff?'

'Since we got the medical kit.'

'Oh.' I unraveled the bandages, and he started applying a paste to my back. While he was doing so, I asked, 'How long have I been out?'

'About three days.'

'Is that even possible.'

'If you've hardly slept, yes.'

'Point taken.'

Once he had put the bandages back on, I stood up.

'Well, if we're both in relatively good health, we can go back up the trees. I feel safer up there.'

He nodded, and crammed everything into a backpack. There were a lot of backpacks at the cornucopia, so I'm not surprised that he had one too.

We spent a few hours trekking through the forest, hoping not to run into anyone. We gathered a few wild berries along the way, and by the time it got dark, nothing eventful had happened. We then hauled ourselves up a tree, helping each other on the way to the top. Using my rope, we tied ourselves to the trunk. And waited. No pictures played in the sky tonight. Then I asked, 'Did anyone else die when I was out?'

'No. After you killed the blonde, I finished off the boy, and nothing else has happened since.'

Honestly, that sucked. I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible. I'd had enough.

'So who's left?'

'Um, the brown haired girl, and the gun boy.'

'That's it?'

'Seems to be.'

I lightened at that. We had to be going home soon.


	9. Chapter 9

**Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, but I'm writing several stories at once. And I've only recently figured out how to do an Author's Note. If this even works. But trust me, I'm spending all of my spare time writing. Anyway, since I failed to come up with any more ideas, I'm afraid these Games are going to be pretty short. So, here's the finale!**

Chapter 9

The nights were certainly getting colder. I probably got two hours of sleep max that night, my shivering and the constant throbbing in my back keeping me awake.

And Jason? He slept like a log. Of course.

I sat watching him for a while. He had this cute way of scrunching his forehead every once in a while. And before I knew it, my impulse to fiddle with something got the better of me. So, even though this sounds absolutely cheesy, I passed time by playing with his hair.

At about one or two in the morning, I heard yelling and screeching. Coming from the desert. The cannon followed soon after.

'Jason!' I hissed, prodding him awake.

He opened his eyes, and sat up, looking at me questioningly.

'What?'

'Someone else is dead.'

'Who?'

'I dunno, but I'm guessing the girl. There was something going on over in the desert. I could hear it from here.'

'Well, we can finish off whoever is left when we come across them. I was quite enjoying my sleep.'

'Speak for yourself.'

The next morning, we jumped down the tree, and spent several hours wandering. Because finding one person in an arena as large as ours is hard.

'Any twenty questions.'

I looked at Jason. 'What?'

'To pass the time. We can ask each other questions about themselves.'

'Fine, but I'm going first.'

He grinned. 'Fire away.'

'Do you have a job that you really want to get?'

'Honestly, I have no idea what I want to do.'

I raised an eyebrow. He held up his hands in defence. 'Well, it's true!'

'My turn,' he said, poking me in the gut. I poked my tongue at him.

'Have you ever . . .' he trailed off, thinking hard. His brow was doing the cute creasing thing again.

'Have I ever . . .?'

'Have you ever kissed a guy?'

'No.'

'Really?'

'Uh huh.'

'Are you sure?'

'Positive.'

'Ah, fine,' he said, grinning. I poked him.

'Me now, ' I said. 'Have you ever failed a test.'

'No.'

'Smartass.'

'I know,' he said.

We had just come to the edge of the forest, and were crossing over into the desert.

'Well -'

There was a rustle nearby. I froze, a hand on my dagger and a finger held over the button.

I saw a streak of brown, and a slim figure sprinted onto the sand, and literally dove into a pile of rocks.

'Is that even possible?' muttered Jason beside me.

We jogged over to the rocks, and peered through a small gap. There appeared to be a cave system underneath. The hole was incredibly small, and would be difficult to fit through.

I looked at Jason. 'You won't fit.'

'Excuse me?'

'You're bigger than me, and I would barely be able to squeeze through that.' I gestured to the hole, barely bigger than a basketball.

He crossed his arms and frowned at me. 'And I'm supposed to wait out here while you go to your potential death?'

'Ye of little faith. Besides, this is the Hunger Games. What's the bet that they'll find some way to create mutts?'

'True…'

'So, you'll stay out here, fend off any potential dangers, and I'll go in there and take out whoever is left.'

He glared, and looked as if he was going to say something else. Then his next action caught me completely by surprise. He kissed me.

'Be safe,' he whispered.

I nodded mutely, and forced myself down the hole.

Scratch cave. This was more like a maze. I sprinted through, stopping occasionally when the path I was taking led to a dead end. Finally, one path led to an open cavern.

Suddenly, I felt a stab of pain in my leg. I gasped, pulled out my knife and flung it. Apparently it hit its mark. I heard a scream and a thump. Breathing heavily, I slumped up against a wall, and looked at my leg. I pulled out a dart. There was a clear liquid on it.

'Poison? I whispered.

Jason

I heard the cannon.

'Marcei!' I yelled. 'Marcei!'

I tossed rocks away from the cave entrance, yelling, calling for her. I never heard a reply. Finally, I made a hole big enough for me to jump down. I slid down into the cave, and ran, still calling. I ran into a dead end. Cursing, I took another path. Another dead end. I almost screamed in frustration. 'Marcei!'

Eliza

Our school sat in the library. A television had been brought in, so we could watch the Games. The camera was focused on Jason, who was sprinting through a cave system. Jasmine and I were hugging each other, hoping and praying.

The voiceover then spoke. _Ladies and gentlemen. I proudly announce the victors of the first Hunger Games - Jason McGhan and . . ._

The boys roared, slapping each other on the back and cheering, before the teachers shushed them.

It was a tense moment. Jason was still running through the cave, yelling for Marcei.

_Marcei Teller!_

We screamed, jumping up and down and hugging each other, like complete maniacs. The whole school was in uproar. You could hear cheering and screaming through every doorway. It was perfect. They were coming home.

Jason

'Marcei!'

I knew she was still alive, because we won. But something was wrong; she wasn't answering me. I stumbled into a cavern like area.

'Marcei!'

She was slumped up against a wall, holding a dart, barely conscious. I ran over and knelt down next to her.

'No. No. No, no, no, Marcei, stay with me!'

I picked her up and made a beeline for the exit.

Marcei

My vision was blurry. Jason scooped me up, and started running. My body was screaming in pain from the poison.

'We won,' I whispered, hardly able to hear my own voice.

'I know,' Jason said. 'But we have to get you out of here. You need help.'

'Y-you make it sound like I've got a mental problem.'

He cracked a smile, but barely. He swore when we ran into a dead end.

'Jason.'

'Yeah?' He looked at me.

'I want to go home.'

'We are going home. We're leaving this wretched place.'

I smiled, but my vision was fogging up even more.

'I can't see,' I whispered.

'What?' He almost stopped. There was a light at the end of the tunnel.

Just when we stumbled into the sunlight, I gasped as the poison pulled me under.

**A/N: Ha ha! How's that for a cliff hanger? Normally I'm terrible at doing those, but hey! I felt like I had to. So, now you have to wait for the next chapter! Anywho, thanks for reading, and PLEASE review! It would mean the world to me. **

**Thanks!**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys! Sorry that this took a while, but I needed a bit of motivation to make myself write it. But, it's here now so everyone's happy! I have nothing else to say. Enjoy!**

Chapter 10

My dreams were awful. It was like the poison was trying to create my worst nightmare. Well, it worked.

The worst part? They were all about losing Jason - to the Hunger Games.

I woke up screaming. And instantly I was wrapped up in a pair of arms. Jason. I cried into his shoulder, unable to stop myself.

'Shh,' he whispered. After about ten minutes, I finally calmed down. I took in my surroundings. A hospital room. There was a chair next to my bed, probably where Jason was sitting.

'You're okay,' he said, kissing me on the forehead.

'But are you?' I asked.

'Of course, silly!' he laughed. 'I'm right here, aren't I?'

After a pause, I asked: 'How long have I been out?'

'They've kept you sedated for the last week, because they had such a job extracting all of that poison-'

'So it _was_ poison.'

'Yeah. You almost died . . .' His voice cracked when he said that.

'But I didn't,' I said, prodding him. 'So, I'm getting up.'

'Woah, easy tiger,' he said, putting a hand on my chest. 'They haven't given you the all-clear yet.'

I bristled. 'So what? You know, I can threaten to kill them if they don't let me go.'

'Yeah, and they'll probably drug you, knocking you out for _another_ week.'

I sighed.

After a moment, he spoke. 'How do you feel? About winning this?'

'Awful,' I whispered. 'I _killed_ people, Jason. And I almost died. I have all of these terrible thoughts, haunting me. I'm too young to have to go through all of this. It scares me.'

'Think about home, then. Think about your friends. Think about every good memory,' he said, putting an arm around my waist. 'And tell me all about it.'

'Picking our peaches in summer,' I murmured, resting my head on his shoulder. 'The farm. Raising lambs. Movie nights. Writing stories. Listening to music, and dancing around like an idiot.' Jason laughed.

'What music do you listen to?'

'Anything that make me happy.'

The door opened. James came in.

'Here they are! The very first victors of the Hunger Games!' he said, spreading his arms wide. 'Great job, you guys. I'm really proud.'

Charlie and Jason's stylist followed James through the doorway.

'You two are going for a live interview tonight,' he continued. ' And, considering that its three in the afternoon, you need to get ready.'

'You're kidding right?' I grumbled. 'I just woke up like, ten minutes ago.'

'Wasn't my choice,' said James. 'Now, come on.'

He shooed us through the doorway. Only then did I realise that my bedroom was just down the hall. Charlie sat me down in front of my dresser. 'You did great sweetie. I knew you could win. And we are going to make you look absolutely stunning for tonight.' He started twisting and weaving my hair.

'This all feels wrong,' I said. 'Twenty two people died, and it's being considered entertainment. It makes me feel so . . . so _angry_.'

Charlie turned my chair, so I was facing him. 'I know it's wrong. I never agreed with all of this. But we have to keep you in society's good books. Hopefully, there will never be another Hunger Games. Hopefully, this will be the last of it all. So, just act really happy tonight, and it should all be over. Okay?'

I nodded, and let him continue with my hair.

Three hours later, I met up with Jason, just outside the auditorium. I wore a floor-length, strapless dress, that was blood red in colour, because it looked good on me. It might have also been in memory of those who died, but I wasn't really paying attention. My hair was piled in curls on my head, sprayed with sparkles. Charlie and I planned to keep the makeup simple - considering I practically had a tattoo on my back. Whatever the doctors had done to make the scabbing heal up, it worked. All I had now were a lot of really noticeable scars.

Jason was dressed in a simple black tux, and nothing made me happier than seeing him. We held hands and waited. The roar of the audience told us that Carlos had gone on stage. James appeared out of nowhere, and shoved us on too. We stumbled, blinking in the brightness, and almost tripped over a nearby sofa. The audience laughed. Blushing furiously, I tugged Jason over to the next sofa, and we managed to sit down without any further risk of injury.

'And here they are! The very first Hunger Games victors!' shouted Carlos. The crowd screamed in response.

'So how are you both today?' he continued. Jason grinned, flashing a thumbs-up, and I mumbled that I hadn't even been awake for a day yet. More laughter followed that comment. Because everything was _so_ ridiculously funny. I struggled to fight down a fresh wave of anger, and forced a painful smile.

'Can we officially call you two a couple now?' Carlos asked. Jason looked at me for consent. I gave a small nod, and his eyes lit up.

'I believe so,' he said, turning back to Carlos. The audience cheered. I fiddled with my hands in my lap, and finally looked up. The crowd was massive. I felt a wave of nausea sweep over me. Jason and Carlos continued talking, but I was oblivious to what they were saying. I wanted my knife back. Any weapon, actually. I needed something to defend myself. They all wanted to hurt me.

'Marcei?'

'Huh?' I snapped back to the present moment, breathing heavily.

'You okay?' Jason whispered. I nodded, not really sure.

Carlos was saying something. '-the scars you got in the arena. May we see?' he asked.

I frowned for a moment confused, before it clicked.

'Umm . . .' I stood up, and turned around. The audience gave a collective gasp as the camera zoomed in. I looked up at one of the television screens. The blonde girl wasn't lying when she said she was an artist. The scarring was tattoo-worthy. It was a pattern of curls and leaves, decorating the top half of my back. I grimaced, and sat down again.

Television screens had turned on all over the auditorium. They had begun to playback the Games.

It started with the reaping, where I volunteered for Jasmine. I looked crazy, even then. It all seemed so long ago. They then showed footage of all the interactions between Jason and I, including all of our fights. The caption above it said #tension. It must have been done to add some humour, but I didn't find it funny. They were mocking me, treating all we had gone through like a joke. Anger bubbled inside me again.

Then the Games started. Jason, as it turned out, was just as lethal a killer as I was. He took out two of the fourteen tributes during the bloodbath. That's where he got his shoulder injury.

They mainly fast-forwarded until our meeting, which they played in full. Jason's face turned bright red when the pot clonked him on the head, and it became steadily brighter as I struggled to tug him up a tree.

'Am I really that heavy?' he asked, looking at me. I nodded, trying not to snigger. He poked his tongue at me, and I prodded him on the shoulder, giggling.

When I got attacked at the feast, Jason brought me back to the cave. The whole time I was unconscious, he sat next to me, white faced, and didn't move an inch. That made me feel guilty for abandoning him for the feast.

The playback finished when the hovercraft appeared to take us out of the arena.

'Well, folks,' Carlos said. 'That just about sums up this year's Hunger Games!'

The crowd roared in appreciation. My vision swam, and turned red. Demons. That's what they were. And they wanted to kill me.

I stumbled backwards over the couch, eyes wide. I grabbed the nearest thing - a vase - and held it up to ward them all off. Jason tried to come to me, but I shrieked, and moved backwards. Dropping the vase, I sprinted out of the auditorium.

I ran back to my room, picking up a knife when I passed the dining room, and hid in my closet, curled up on the floor. I've lost my mind. I knew it now. I always joked about being crazy at school, when I had no cares at all. I wasn't joking now. I buried my head in my knees, and cried until I fell asleep.

**Thankyou so much for reading this! I know, it's terrible, and I'll never be half the person Suzanne Collins is, but at least I have good grammar! Anyways, PLEASE review, cause I'm feeling a bit unloved with the reviews at the moment, and cheers!**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hey guys. I don't have much to say here. So, um, yeah. Read, and tell me what you think.**

Chapter 11

_I remember tears streaming down you face when I said I'd never let you go,_

_When all those shadows almost killed your light._

_I remember you said 'don't leave me here alone'_

_But all that's dead and gone and past tonight._

_Just close your eyes, the sun is going down._

_You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now._

_Come morning light, you and I'll be safe and sound._

Shivering, I whispered those words, trying to make myself believe that everything would be okay. It wasn't working. I balled up my fist, stuffed it in my mouth and screamed, rocking back and forth. I heard clattering and crashing from somewhere down the hall, and moments later, Jason pulled open the cupboard door. He said nothing, but scooped me up and put me on my bed, wrapping a blanket around my shoulders. I felt a sharp stab of pain, and my hand was suddenly warm. Shaking, I lifted up my hand to see I was still clutching my knife, by the blade. It had punctured my hand, and blood was trickling down my wrist. Frowning, Jason pried it from my grip, and chucked it on the bedside table, before standing up and grabbing a shirt from the cupboard. He tore it into strips, and wrapped it around my hand. Then he sat down and hugged me. Still shivering, I relaxed gratefully into his warmth, and closed my eyes.

_Don't you dare look out your window darling,_

_Everything's on fire._

_The war outside our door keeps raging on._

_Hold on to this lullaby, even when the music's gone._

_Gone._

'You're gonna be okay,' he whispered. 'Just make it through tonight, and we'll go home tomorrow.'

I nodded, tears flowing freely down my face. He sat, holding me until I finally went to sleep.

When I woke up, the alarm clock on my bedside table said it was 4:20am. I was still wrapped in the blanket, but Jason was gone. Shaking, I wrapped myself in a dressing gown, and crept outside. Everything was so quiet, that I could hear a faint buzz in the background. I went into the kitchen, and pulled a block of chocolate out of the fridge, before going into the lounge room. The tv was running, and Jason was sprawled on the couch, watching replays of the Games.

'Hey.'

He looked around. 'Hey. You okay?'

I nodded, and sat down next to him. I broke off a piece of the chocolate and handed it to him. He smiled, popped it in his mouth, and wrapped an arm around my waist. I snapped myself a piece, and laid my head on his shoulder.

I looked up at the screen. 'Why are you watching this?'

'There's nothing else on.'

'But why? Doesn't this have an effect on you?'

'Not really. I imagine that this was all a movie. Like it never really happened.'

'Huh.' I really didn't see how he could do that. Whenever I saw a familiar face on the screen, I always flash back to what it all looked like from my perspective. I remember the smells, the brightness, and every little detail. I remember it the way it really was. Not the way the camera played it out. I sighed. What would it be like if I had died? I might actually be happier than I was now. I didn't want to face the world. I just wanted to hide away from everything. Life back at school wouldn't be the same either. I would be considered a monster. A killing machine. The Games had really screwed up my life.

'Jason.' He looked at me.

'Yeah?'

'We're in this together, right?'

He gave my hand a reassuring squeeze. 'Always.'

I nodded, and closed my eyes. Maybe, just maybe, everything _could_ work out. Jason pulled me closer to him. 'I love you.'

I looked up at him. 'I love you too.'

The sun had started to rise, and feeble rays of light were starting to come through the window. Jason kissed my forehead. 'We're going to be okay.'

I nodded. I think we were.

**Okay guys, I think this is the last chapter. So, all in all, this was a pretty shoddy story, but it was my first, so it had to be expected. But…yeah, this is it. So, I want to say, thankyou very much, to all those amazing people who reviewed, and actually liked this story. You guys really make my day. Cheers!**


End file.
